Seaspan Energy has made history as the first and only company to offer ship-to-ship liquefied natural gas (LNG) refueling service at the Port of Long Beach, reaching an important milestone on June 12. The company successfully executed its inaugural ship-to-ship LNG transfer to a Ro-Ro vessel, with the Seaspan Baker refueling the Plumeria Leader, an LNG-powered pure car and truck carrier managed by NYK Line.
This significant achievement followed Seaspan Energy’s earlier milestones, including its first LNG bunkering of a tanker in May and its first overall ship-to-ship LNG transfer in December. Harly Penner, President of Seaspan Energy, expressed pride in this accomplishment, stating that it highlights their collaboration with NYK and the Port of Long Beach.
He emphasized that this milestone paves the way for expanding their services on the West Coast of North America. Similarly, Kaori Takahashi, General Manager of the Fuel Group at NYK Line, noted that this collaboration reflects a strong commitment to decarbonizing the maritime sector and advancing low-carbon fuel solutions, aligning with their environmental goals.
The Port’s Clean Marine Fuels White Paper, released in early 2025, identifies LNG as a leading low-carbon marine fuel. LNG burns cleaner than traditional fuels, significantly reducing harmful emissions.
Seaspan Energy reports that using LNG can lower particulate, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur oxide emissions by over 90% and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 27%. Furthermore, vessel operators who deploy environmentally friendly ships at the Port can benefit from financial incentives under the Green Ship Incentive Program, which supports the larger pollution reduction goals of the Port’s Green Port Policy and the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan.
Seaspan Energy, headquartered in North Vancouver, British Columbia, is part of Seaspan Marine, which offers various maritime services along the West Coast of North America. The company remains the sole provider of at-berth ship-to-ship LNG refueling services at the Port.